Jerry Lewis clowns his way to Legion of Honour

France has capped off its fascination with comedian Jerry Lewis by inducting him into the Legion of Honour.

Lewis is one of 37 foreigners who have received the Legion of Honour, an award created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to be given for outstanding service to France.

He received the honorary title of "Legion Commander" in a raucous ceremony in Paris on Thursday, which fell on his 80th birthday.

The comedian, who formed a famous comedy team with Dean Martin, turned the sober event into slapstick routine sticking out his tongue and making his trademark funny faces.

Lewis has a huge following in France. His antics in films such as Thats My Boy, The Road to Bali and The Nutty Professor strike many French viewers as hilarious.

He thrilled the crowd watching the ceremony by turning up in slippers and clowning with Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres.

Lewis checked his watch and pretended to fall asleep during the ministers 20-minute speech, with the roars of laughter from the crowd occasionally drowning out the speech itself.

After a rendition of Happy Birthday and presentation of his medal, Lewis apologized to spectators for not speaking French.

"Even if the French people cannot hear my language, they have always heard my heart," he said, according to the Associated Press.

He applauded the country's sense of humour, saying he believed it "took France through all those difficult years, and will take it through difficult times now because the French are not afraid to laugh."